How To Become a Movie Producer

The movie producer rarely enjoys the limelight cast on the actors and the director. He or she isn't as deeply involved in the creative aspect of movie-making, which is the value put forward when the film is marketed to the public. The position however grants the most control over the entire production of the film, from the early stages of development to its completion. Since the producer will mostly be handling the business side of the production, he or she will carry the burden of the financial risks of the film project.

Have what it takes - patience, and some more patience. If you want to become a movie producer in Hollywood, then it is important that you have everything that it takes to survive in the cutthroat environment. Guts, excellent negotiating and leadership skills should supplement a tremendous amount of patience.

Get a bachelor's degree. A movie producer should know the ins and outs of the industry. Getting a bachelor's degree in business management and/or film production will greatly help you in handling both the commerce and creative side of the field. It would be good to get some practical knowledge while you're still in school. Create your own home movies by casting friends and classmates. This way, you get the feel of how to manage a production - from choosing locations for your shoot, to deciding which costumes your actors wear, to selecting music tracks to spice up your amateur video. Add to that the experience of handling resources -- from your available funds to taking care of your crew.

Take on relevant jobs. This is probably the most important part if you ever want to become a competitive and knowledgeable movie producer. Take on jobs that will be very helpful to your career advancement. Those with writing backgrounds start out as story analysts, while others with filmmaking know-how take on post production work in a movie outfit, while others still work as gophers for talent managers. All of these fields will help you learn the ropes in the industry and get you introduced to the personalities that run the movie world.

Network with the correct set of individuals. Knowing the right people is crucial. Not only will you have relative ease of finding funds for your upcoming productions, but the right network will help you market your finish product as well. Add to that the advantage of getting bits of practical advice when it's mostly needed - when you're panicking and are running out of creative juices and man hours to successfully see the project through its completion.

A movie producer is really more of a businessman than a filmmaker. But just like any sharp businessman, he or she must have comprehensive knowledge of how the product is manufactured even though he or she is not intimately involved in its creation.